Charlottesville, a wretched hive of scum and villainy and football losses
Join us on Saturday as the Jackets, fresh off of a particularly chaotic Homecoming upset of #17 uNC, make the trip up the coast to face Virginia.
We know what we’re getting with this opponent. This will be a trip to the wine and cheese capital of the ACC, a school where the people are as high-and-mighty about their academic credentials as Michigan fans are about their football program doing things the right way. And just like nobody at UVA would ever say anything mean about Thomas Jefferson, nobody in Michigan’s orbit would ever do something against the rules.
(earpiece buzzes) …hmm I’m being told that I should rethink that last part. But the name my informant mentioned doesn’t sound like something an actual person would be named. So I’m just gonna ignore it.
As for the game itself, this matchup is… problematic. The problematicness has nothing to do with the quality of UVA as a team, as they’re 2-6 this season. No, the issue lies in two specific areas:
- It’s game #9 for Tech, and that is an odd number
- It’s in Charlottesville
The first one is an issue because Tech is 0-4 in odd-numbered games and 4-0 in even-numbered games this season. This would make sense if the odd games had been the tougher opponents. That has very much not been the case.
The second one is a problem because of history. In the 32 years since the 1990 game where Tech went up there and knocked off top-ranked UVA, the Jackets are 2-14 in Charlottesville. It is, historically, where Tech dreams go to die.
But this is where the fun begins:
This game will be broadcast on the CW. Every ACC game on the CW this year has been chaotic nonsense. Every Tech game this year has been chaotic nonsense. Every UVA game in the past month has been chaotic nonsense. By their powers combined, this game is virtually certain to be Captain Chaos. Tech will need that to overcome the eternal demon that is Charlottesville Dark Magic.
All told, it should be a fun one. Tech still has a shot at a bowl game, while UVA is gaining momentum after a dreadfully slow start this season. The Vegas point spread basically indicates this game is a toss-up.
Whatever happens on the field, though, at least both fanbases can come together to ruthlessly mock uNC for losing to both of our teams. And that’s what the ACC is truly about.